The Delhi High Court today sought the Centre's stand on a PIL alleging "gender bias" and "discrimination" in the Indian Air Force(IAF) for not employing women as 'airmen' in the technical and non-technical grades in any of its departments.

A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and V Kameswar Rao issued notice to the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the IAF seeking their responses to the plea which has objected to the recruitment of only unmarried men to the post of 'airmen' in groups 'X' and 'Y' trades in all the departments of the force.

Group 'X' trade refers to technical fields like aircraft and ground systems, while group 'Y' pertains to non-technical fields like logistics and accounts.

The petition by lawyer Kush Kalra has sought directions to the MoD and IAF to allow recruitment of women as airmen in the two groups.

He moved the court after IAF issued an advertisement in June this year calling for applications from only unmarried male candidates for the job of airmen in the two groups.

"There is no reasonable justification for depriving inclusion of women/females as Airmen in group 'X' trade and group 'Y' trade in all the departments of Indian Air Force by the respondents (MoD and IAF).

"The eligibility criteria for the recruitment to the post of Airmen in group 'X' trade and group 'Y' trade in all the departments of Indian Air force clearly mentions 'only unmarried male Indian citizens'. Thereby, respondents are indulging in gender bias and discriminatory practice in employment," the plea, filed through advocate Charu Wali Khanna, has said.